Exit Through the Gift Shop

I just finished this movie, Exit Through the Gift Shop, directed by Banksy and I am in love.
If you don't know who Banksy is... he's a really well known British street artist--though no one knows his real identity--and you are probably familiar with some of his work and just didn't know who was behind it.

"Stop, Search"

Notice the CCTV camera (British security) right there, circled in red.  Quite a daring stunt.  But not as daring as went he painted the wall in the West Bank...

I have liked Banksy's work for awhile--it is actual artistry in my opinion (while some might call it graffiti) and he at once makes you chuckle and stop to think about our society.

Anyway... the film Exit Through the Gift Shop is a film about a man named Theirry Guetta who films a lot of well-known street artists.  One day, he happens to meet Banksy who urges him to just get on with it and complete the documentary already.  So he does.  And it's awful.  Nightmare-ish even.  So Banksy tells him to "go make some art" to get Theirry out of his hair and produces the video himself.

Meanwhile, Theirry has come up with an alter-ego, Mr. Brainwash, and creates a HUGE art show.  Thing is... he doesn't actually create anything.  He comes up with ideas, then hires a staff of graphic designers to do some "photoshop and scanning."

And the giullible L.A. public eat it up and even start buying his art for tens of thousands of dollars.

Banksy and the other street artists are annoyed.

The film really makes you question what constitutes art and what makes someone an "artist."  In addition, you begin to wonder if Mr. Brainwash (and the whole film!) is actually real or if it's just another elaborate hoax by Banksy to comment on the commercialization of the art world. And the gullible public.  Just Google "Mr. Brainwash hoax," I'm not alone in thinking this. 

The film is also quite funny, at times funny enough to make me laugh out loud.

If you like art, street art, Banksy or just good documentaries, I highly recommend watching this movie.

Even the trailer is hilarious, making fun of all the pretentious reviews stuck into a lot of trailers. (though this film did get excellent reviews and was featured at Sundance.)